Lady Vols in the Sweet 16

For the fourth straight year. the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers have advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Women's basketball tournament. For the third time in those four years. The Lady Vols are likely stating at a date with Baylor and the 6'8 all-world player Brittney Griner. By the way, in her final "home"-and I put that in quotations because OKC will be a pro-Baylor crowd- game, Griner poured in 33 points, collected 22 rebounds and dunked 3 times to put a cap on her career in Waco, Tx.

This current Lady Vols team is not as talented or as experienced as Lady Vols teams in the last few years. There are only 2 seniors on this year's team and both of them were role players for the Lady Vols until this inaugural season under new head coach Holly Warlick. Junior guard Meighan Simmons is the only Lady Vols who really had proven herself heading into this season, and her inconsistent play is still a hot topic for Lady Vols fans. But, those seniors have shown an ability this year to not melt in the spotlight, unlike past Lady Vol players since Candace Parker left.

But perhaps the youth and inexperience of this team could serve the Lady Vols well against Baylor. After all, the Lady Vols have been manhandled by Griner and her Baylor Bears since 2009 when the Lady Vols beat them 74-65 in Griner's first NCAA game. The Vols did suffer a double-digit beating in Waco earlier this season, but they've already surpassed expectations by finishing first during the SEC regular season after being picked 5th in the preseason by the SEC coaches.

When the Lady Vols beat Brittney Griner in her first career college game, they did so by taking the fight right to her. They got her in foul trouble early by rotating players on her on defense and by matching her up against different players on offense.

Unfortunately for the Lady Vols, Griner has evolved as a defender and offensive player. She doesn't commit dumb fouls anymore and usually doesn't let her emotions get the best of her (this has happened in the past).
On offense, she's near automatic all the way out to 15 feet and has very good footwork in the post to position herself for easy buckets.

So how do the Lady Vols beat Griner? One strategy would be to try to get her in foul trouble, but again she's not prone to do that. Another would be to turn this game into a track meet, negating Griner by beating her up and down the floor, but the Lady Vols don't appear to have the depth to do that.

As stupid as this sounds, the simplest way for the Lady Vols to compete and maybe beat Baylor is to make shots. Griner is a defensive force, but her presence alone doesn't explain the Lady Vols shooting no greater than 32% in the last five meetings. In those five losses, the Lady Vols often looked rushed in all shot attempts and executed the offense poorly and often looked intimidated by Griner. To beat Baylor, the Lady Vols must shoot at least 40% and can't be intimidated by Griner even if she blocks a shot.